Is this a dead/weak battery?

wuzupfoo · 09-17-2010, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PencilGeek

It was my mistake. For some reason I was thinking you'd be trying to start the car.

No problem. All good! you were just looking out..

J08M3 · 09-18-2010, 08:09 AM

If you have one of those "amp clamps" or whatever they are called, it won't matter. Those are the plastic loop looking clamp that just goes around the outside of the cable and measure the amps through induction (I guess that's what it is?). If you pull to many amps for the clamp/setting you are using it won't matter, you won't hurt anything since the electric isn't actually going through the meter. Many of the multimeters come with this tool.

quality_sound · 09-18-2010, 08:41 AM

It's a go/no go thing? If that's the case it won't be the battery. On a car with a regular ignition I'd be thinking ignition switch or starter solenoid.

bsd damon · 02-25-2011, 09:21 AM

I was experiencing random starting issues over the past few months as well. Early on when I pushed the start button (with my foot on the brake), the car would turn on and do a "1/2 crank" of the starter but wouldn't turn over. Then I'd press it again and the car would start. Normally the car would fire right up on the 1st push. This occurred very randomly for a few months. Then it started occurring more frequently until recently, it took about 5+ tries to start the car on 2 separate days in one week.

It was not a low battery issue as it started no problem after sitting for 4 days. The next day it didn't start. The day after no problem. The day after that it didn't start. Turning the lights, idrive, A/C, etc off didn't help either (this used to work on my old Alfa).

After reading this post I went to the battery compartment and jiggled the negative cable and noticed the light in the trunk flickered. I reached my hand behind the trunk lining and finger tightened the ground screw so that the cable was tight and didn't move around. The trunk light was now steady when I tried to jiggle the negative cable. Car starts on 1st push every time now. Unfortunately its almost impossible get a wrench on the ground nut unless you want to totally take apart your trunk.

Hope this helps.

JCtx · 02-25-2011, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by quality_sound

11.5V isn't going to turn over a V8, even a small V8 like ours.

With 12:1 compression, it's like cranking a big V8

.

emthreeboy · 02-26-2011, 09:23 PM

OLD thread!

But what was the problem OP?

Quote:

Originally Posted by bsd damon

I was experiencing random starting issues over the past few months as well. Early on when I pushed the start button (with my foot on the brake), the car would turn on and do a "1/2 crank" of the starter but wouldn't turn over. Then I'd press it again and the car would start. Normally the car would fire right up on the 1st push. This occurred very randomly for a few months. Then it started occurring more frequently until recently, it took about 5+ tries to start the car on 2 separate days in one week.

It was not a low battery issue as it started no problem after sitting for 4 days. The next day it didn't start. The day after no problem. The day after that it didn't start. Turning the lights, idrive, A/C, etc off didn't help either (this used to work on my old Alfa).

After reading this post I went to the battery compartment and jiggled the negative cable and noticed the light in the trunk flickered. I reached my hand behind the trunk lining and finger tightened the ground screw so that the cable was tight and didn't move around. The trunk light was now steady when I tried to jiggle the negative cable. Car starts on 1st push every time now. Unfortunately its almost impossible get a wrench on the ground nut unless you want to totally take apart your trunk.

Hope this helps.

Great input!

wuzupfoo · 02-28-2011, 05:50 PM

hey bsd, I just sent a pm back to you... but checked this thread just in case new info was on here. Im gonna try what you said but for everyone else. Im still having this random problem.

quality control: its totally a nogo/go issue. Always when cold, but not consistent enough to recreate at the stealer. Ive had it there for over 2 weeks at one point for them to let it sit then try to start. They also ran all diagnostics and all came back clean! but it didnt stop it from not starting again this weekend. EDIT: Granted it did do the exact same thing its always done, which is it will start right up 10 mins later... frustrating!

Im gonna try what bsd said and hope for the best cuz Im losing patience with this car and Im considering taking it to the dealer again with video proof and possibly escalating the issue to BMWNA, for whatever thats worth!

EDIT: Also I had the stealer check the battery and also the IBS wire that was discussed earlier in the thread and they claim all is good still. So.......

wuzupfoo · 06-07-2011, 03:14 PM

Okay so I posted awhile back about my car having intermittent starting problems, I did alot of digging and sent the car to the dealer on 3 separate occasions to get to the bottom of it with no luck. Finally my car wouldnt start at all shortly after I posted the last post in this thread about 3 months back, all lights on, no battery warning, just didnt turn over. BMW decided to replace my battery after much complaining from my end. Now for 3 months it has not had a problem so it was the infamous shit battery, as I suspected the whole time which the dealer refused to admit.

Now it did it again!! Granted the car was sitting in an airport lot while I was in Vegas for a couple days but wtf... its only been 3 months on the new battery.. and I drove 40+ miles to the airport before so its not like it didnt have a chance to charge... and once this starts it seems to get worse over time. Also its not like I dont drive the car, this is my DD so I put a minimum of 5-10 miles on it daily, last year I lived further from work and drove about 35-40 miles roundtrip daily.
Now here is my question, is there an aftermarket solution for this? Im sick of going to the dealer and they are probably not going to goodwill another battery since I had to fight to get this one. Should I just go to Pepboys or something? Are lightweight batteries an option?

This is truly starting to ruin my first BMW experience.

09-18-2010, 08:09 AM	#24
J08M3 Major General 285 Rep 6,007 Posts Drives: 2011 M3 COUPE Join Date: May 2008 Location: NEW YORK iTrader: (8)	If you have one of those "amp clamps" or whatever they are called, it won't matter. Those are the plastic loop looking clamp that just goes around the outside of the cable and measure the amps through induction (I guess that's what it is?). If you pull to many amps for the clamp/setting you are using it won't matter, you won't hurt anything since the electric isn't actually going through the meter. Many of the multimeters come with this tool. __________________
	Appreciate 0 Quote

09-18-2010, 08:41 AM	#25
quality_sound 8 tracks of madness 62 Rep 2,735 Posts Drives: Slowly Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: At home iTrader: (1)	It's a go/no go thing? If that's the case it won't be the battery. On a car with a regular ignition I'd be thinking ignition switch or starter solenoid.
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02-25-2011, 09:21 AM	#26
bsd damon Enlisted Member 5 Rep 46 Posts Drives: 2011 E92 M3 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Toronto iTrader: (0)	Random starting issues I was experiencing random starting issues over the past few months as well. Early on when I pushed the start button (with my foot on the brake), the car would turn on and do a "1/2 crank" of the starter but wouldn't turn over. Then I'd press it again and the car would start. Normally the car would fire right up on the 1st push. This occurred very randomly for a few months. Then it started occurring more frequently until recently, it took about 5+ tries to start the car on 2 separate days in one week. It was not a low battery issue as it started no problem after sitting for 4 days. The next day it didn't start. The day after no problem. The day after that it didn't start. Turning the lights, idrive, A/C, etc off didn't help either (this used to work on my old Alfa). After reading this post I went to the battery compartment and jiggled the negative cable and noticed the light in the trunk flickered. I reached my hand behind the trunk lining and finger tightened the ground screw so that the cable was tight and didn't move around. The trunk light was now steady when I tried to jiggle the negative cable. Car starts on 1st push every time now. Unfortunately its almost impossible get a wrench on the ground nut unless you want to totally take apart your trunk. Hope this helps.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

02-28-2011, 05:50 PM	#29
wuzupfoo Lieutenant 54 Rep 425 Posts Drives: E92 M3; G30 540i Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Mean streets of Irvine iTrader: (3)	hey bsd, I just sent a pm back to you... but checked this thread just in case new info was on here. Im gonna try what you said but for everyone else. Im still having this random problem. quality control: its totally a nogo/go issue. Always when cold, but not consistent enough to recreate at the stealer. Ive had it there for over 2 weeks at one point for them to let it sit then try to start. They also ran all diagnostics and all came back clean! but it didnt stop it from not starting again this weekend. EDIT: Granted it did do the exact same thing its always done, which is it will start right up 10 mins later... frustrating! Im gonna try what bsd said and hope for the best cuz Im losing patience with this car and Im considering taking it to the dealer again with video proof and possibly escalating the issue to BMWNA, for whatever thats worth! EDIT: Also I had the stealer check the battery and also the IBS wire that was discussed earlier in the thread and they claim all is good still. So.......
	Appreciate 0 Quote

06-07-2011, 03:14 PM	#30
wuzupfoo Lieutenant 54 Rep 425 Posts Drives: E92 M3; G30 540i Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Mean streets of Irvine iTrader: (3)	Okay so I posted awhile back about my car having intermittent starting problems, I did alot of digging and sent the car to the dealer on 3 separate occasions to get to the bottom of it with no luck. Finally my car wouldnt start at all shortly after I posted the last post in this thread about 3 months back, all lights on, no battery warning, just didnt turn over. BMW decided to replace my battery after much complaining from my end. Now for 3 months it has not had a problem so it was the infamous shit battery, as I suspected the whole time which the dealer refused to admit. Now it did it again!! Granted the car was sitting in an airport lot while I was in Vegas for a couple days but wtf... its only been 3 months on the new battery.. and I drove 40+ miles to the airport before so its not like it didnt have a chance to charge... and once this starts it seems to get worse over time. Also its not like I dont drive the car, this is my DD so I put a minimum of 5-10 miles on it daily, last year I lived further from work and drove about 35-40 miles roundtrip daily. Now here is my question, is there an aftermarket solution for this? Im sick of going to the dealer and they are probably not going to goodwill another battery since I had to fight to get this one. Should I just go to Pepboys or something? Are lightweight batteries an option? This is truly starting to ruin my first BMW experience.
	Appreciate 0 Quote